


Vide Stitch

by izzybelledot



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Redemption, Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire Redemption, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Class redemption, F/M, Good Kagami Tsurugi, Good Luka Couffaine, Hopeful Ending, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is Over Adrien Agreste, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Better, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Happiness, No Lila Rossi Redemption, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, akumanette, and torturing the classmates, but crushes die, just me being salty on Marinette's behalf, until i feel like they've learned their lesson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 11,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24921124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izzybelledot/pseuds/izzybelledot
Summary: Marinette finally breaks, accepting Hawkmoth's deal. But her Akuma is different, more powerful, and strangely emotionless. She's not akumatized for her anger or jealousy- simply for wanting to be understood.Maybe even Hawkmoth is in too deep this time.
Relationships: Lila Rossi & Lila Rossi's Mother, Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Classmates, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Kagami Tsurugi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Lila Rossi
Comments: 394
Kudos: 1953
Collections: Miraculous Stories, Nice fics tbh





	1. Still Human

Marinette knew Lila had her grip on the class, truly, it was as clear as day. 

Clear when Marinette heard Ivan and Mylene saying Lila would be a fantastic Class Rep next year.  
Clear when Alya forgot about their normal weekly meetup in favor of lunch with Lila.  
Clear as day when Adrien averted guilty eyes from Marinette’s as Lila hung off his arm and sprouted falsehood after falsehood.

Yesterday; Marinette had been with Kagami, orange juice sipped between pleasant conversation when the topic had turned to Adrien.

“I have to say Kagami, I don’t think I’ll be competing for Adrien the way things are going.”

Kagami raised an eyebrow at that, having heard from Adrien that he and Marinette were dealing with classroom trouble. “Did he do something?”

Marinette bit her lip, stirring her juice absently as she continued. “Lila’s gotten worse, and Adrien’s high-road plan just hurts me, but he doesn’t seem to care. Because it’s 'not hurting anybody', even if none of my classmates will talk to me anymore.”

Kagami hadn’t said much one way or another, knowing she knew little of the situation, even if her heart pained for Marinette- sympathy over the feeling of isolation. “I don’t know what you can do, but I do know that I am here for you.”

Marinette wished for more friends like Kagami.

Last weekend, guitar lessons with Luka went similar.

“Luka, is it better to be quiet when you’re hurt and risk losing who you are. Or to speak up, even when no-one believes you, and it may cause the other person to lash out?”

Luka paused his gentle strumming, noting the slight dip in her melody. Of course, he knew what she was referencing, Juleka’s tune was tangled in the same chord as Marinette's was, the chord that was strummed so discordant that it could’ve passed for the next note up. The chord that seemed to sour as it went on, and leeched the joy from Marinette’s melody. “To speak up, but you’re wrong Marinette.”

She looked up at him, confusion and hopelessness swimming in her blues.

“You’re not alone. I believe you, and I’m here with you.”

Marinette wished for more friends like Luka.

But there was no-one else like Luka, no-one like Kagami. No-one else who would listen to her, or even glance at her with anything but disappointment or guilt. 

Marinette closed her trapdoor, it was the thirteenth, Alya and she had met up on the Thirteenth of each month to just talk, and take a break form their schedules. It hadn’t ever been broken. But Marinette was not expecting Alya, she had received no text canceling, but she knew when she saw Alya today that she did not remember. Because truth be told, Alya just didn’t have thought to spare for Marinette when Lila was around. 

And by God; Lila never let her alone. 

Marinette choked on a sob as she dropped her bag beside her bed. She glanced at her walls, which were bare of anything. She had thrown out the pictures a month ago, not feeling right in her old crush when Lila was with him constantly. Maybe, a month or two ago she would’ve filled it with photos of Alya, or Nino, or Juleka. Maybe a photo of Adrien or Nathaniel, perhaps a picture with Uncle Jagged. But truth be told; she felt alone. And her wall reflected that.

“Marinette,” Tikki whispered up to her. Tikki rested on the computer, heartbreaking for her chosen. 

She smiled, making her ay to Tikki to affectionately scratch under her chin. “I have to cry Tikki; It’s been a long while.”

So Marinette took off her earrings, Tikki silent in acceptance. This was not new, for now, it seemed at least once a week this would happen. Marinette would take off the earrings, hide them in her lockbox, and let herself cry. She hated it; that Marinette could not cry with her best friend, because if Marinette was akumatized then Ladybug would not make an appearance. The most she could do was temporarily be just Marinette.

Just Marinette.

Because was she Ladybug really? Or was Ladybug just a being that Marinette would play at when the need arised? Isn't that all she was doing, playing hero when her life was in shambles.

Marinette curled in on herself, only realizing her tears when they dripped onto her hands. She was so tired.  
She felt her hands clench onto a photo, a photo of her class, taken on her birthday last year. 

It really wasn’t that surprising when she heard Hawkmoth’s whisper.

_“They don’t know how they make you feel. How they hurt you for the sake of a Liar. Why don’t you show them? It’s only fair Vide Stitch.” ___

__Marinette a week ago would have fought him off, would’ve torn the photo, and moved on. But Marinette was more broken than before, weary and torn down. Only having survived this long without akumatization because of her stubbornness, and since Hawkmoth knew that Marinette was something special. The girl who prevented multiple akumatizations, who had failed to be akumatized countless times._ _

__As a businessman, Hawkmoth knew how to wait, and as a villain, he knew how to give a killer monologue. (in his opinion anyway) And while Marinette’s stubbornness was nothing to scoff at, she was still human._ _

__“I’ll do it if you can make me emotionless, let me design my own suit, and,” She rasped out, voice still pained from crying despite the power she held in it. “And if you don’t talk too loud.”_ _

__Despite the excitement Hawkmoth held for the situation, for what it might bring him- he couldn’t help but chuckle at her demands. _“But of course, Vide Stitch.” _____

____Marinette said nothing in reply, only placing the photo against her arm so it melted into a silver cuff._ _ _ _


	2. Vide Stitch's First Audience

Ms. Bustier’s class was on edge, as they should be. Alya in particular was feeling listless.

Lila and Adrien weren’t in class due to a photoshoot, but Marinette was also absent. The bell had already rung, but Bustier was talking to them about the importance of kindness so most of the students were secretly on their phones- including her. There was a report of an Akuma, but Alya wouldn’t confirm the sighting on her blog unless she got at least two sources, even if the post came with a picture. She’d been fooled too many times before, so she refreshed her blog a few times and waited. 

She tapped her fingers across the desk, wondering if she could say that Lila needed her in order to escape and film the attack. There was a knock on the door. 

“Come in,” Ms. Bustier called out hesitantly, glancing worriedly at the clock. 

There was no response, but the door quietly clicked open. Alya’s breath caught in her throat, it was the Akuma. 

She wore a bright pink tulle skirt with a grey top. There were small detailing on the skirt in a light blue that moved faster then Alya could process them. Her skin was pale, like polished ivory, with literal diamond freckles across her cheeks. 

Despite the (admittedly beautiful) dress and the Akuma’s twin braided black hair, her eyes were what transfixed Alya’s gaze, two large beautiful doll eyes. Eyes she recognized. 

“Marinette?” The class gasped, seeing their former friend under Hawkmoth’s influence. 

Marinette didn’t respond, she couldn’t. Her mouth was stitched closed with light pink seams, twenty of them. Her gaze was emotionless as she stretched out her grey gloves hands. And then thirteen strings with needles on the ends shot out from her gloves, attaching itself to each classmate's sleeves and weaving around them in a frenzy. 

“Marinette, what are you-“ Then Alya saw it, along the belt of her dress in blue thread was writing. _‘Vide Stitch’ ___

__Alya watched in terrified awe as the thread hurriedly changed colors as it transformed her clothes into something new. Something she recognized from Marinette’s sketchbook, but that had never been made. A delicate sunset orange trumpet dress with a vintage feather boa around her shoulders. It was perfectly fitted to her, as her other classmates' new outfits were fitted to them. She recognized some of them, other’s had possibly been created by her right then and there._ _

__“What happened, Mari?” Alix demanded as a suit was being created around her, and it was then that Alya realized that the clothes were starting to sting. Looking down she saw the short sleeves starting to press painfully against her skin._ _

__And then everything _hurt. _Like thousands of needles were being jammed against her skin, because there were. The beautiful dress was stitching itself into her skin, thin gloves stitching themselves into her wrists and a small band of grey cloth stitched tightly against the skin at the base of her throat. And then it was over, not a single drop of blood was spilled, only a strange feeling of wrongness in the clothes tailored perfectly to them.___ _

____There were multiple exclamations throughout the classroom, and then Vide Stitch turned to Ms. Bustier. She held out her hand, and her strings attached themselves to the teacher's face._ _ _ _

____"Marinette, please! You need to set a good exampl-"_ _ _ _

____Alya screamed, watching as Ms. Bustier's eyes were sewn shut and her ears were folded and stitched closed with thin sunshine-yellow threads. The woman was crying, unable to see, and finding it difficult to hear, unable to stand as her pants were now sewn in giant loops to her chair. She wasn't given a new outfit, only gold cloth bracelets around her wrists that matched the one on her neck._ _ _ _

____They looked oddly like shackles._ _ _ _

____Vide Stitch turned back to them, but none of them noticed that she only had seven strings tying her lips shut. Still, it was more than enough to keep her silent, so she just wagged a finger at them before turning to leave._ _ _ _

____“Marinette, you can't just leave us her-"_ _ _ _

____Suddenly the sewn band around Alya's throat tightened, restricting her airflow so that Alya was left gasping for air as little made it to her lungs. The band loosened quickly, though Alya's throat ached painfully. Vide Stitch glanced back at her once before walking out like she hadn't seen a thing._ _ _ _

____Like she didn't care._ _ _ _

____"Whoa, dude," Nino breathed out, and the band didn't tighten._ _ _ _

____Kim was the next to brave speaking. "Does anyone know why Mari got akumatized?"_ _ _ _

____"Probably just jealousy over Lila," Alya found herself wheezing for breathe again, throat constricting and squeezing so that thin little dots of blood blossomed on the band around her neck. Her classmates couldn't reach her, all having threads attaching them to their desks. They could only watch as Alya wheezed and thrashed about until she stilled a couple of moments later._ _ _ _

____"Wait," Juleka muttered to herself, able to see Alya's chocker at the angle Alya had thrown her head in. "The band says 'truth.' Is it a lie detector?"_ _ _ _

____Everyone considered this, turning to their deskmates to find that Juleka was right. Each band had 'truth' sewn into it, only a shade or three lighter grey than the surrounding color._ _ _ _

____"Should we test it?"_ _ _ _

____"She meant us to," Max replied, noticeably not choking._ _ _ _

____"Why would Marinette do this to us?" Nathaniel mused to himself, cut off by a snort of disbelief from Alya._ _ _ _

____"Cuz she's jealous of-"_ _ _ _

____Alya started gasping for breath again, this time for a bit longer. Her head crashing against the desk behind her and her limbs thrashing senselessly. After all, it wasn't easy to stop an onslaught that might as well be your own skin._ _ _ _

____Nino grimaced, eyes suddenly looked determined. "Marinette bullies Li-"_ _ _ _

____Nino was cut off suddenly, the strings around his throat tightening and making him gasp for air futily. The rest of the class went stiff in shock, processing._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____"Lila saved Jagged Stone's ca-"_ _ _ _

____"Lila knows Stan L-"_ _ _ _

____"Lila knows Prince Al-"_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Different statements flew through the room about Lila, all to be cut off with the classmates chocked gasping for air. No lie was left unuttered, or unpunished. Alya got it worst, sprouting out so many of Lila's lies in outrage that the grey band around her neck started to have stripes of red on them through the fabric. Her breath labored even when she hadn't spoken a lie._ _ _ _

____“Lila’s a liar,” Alix breathed out, and to everyone’s surprise- she didn’t choke. She stared at her hands sadly, overwhelming grief overtaking her expression. “She hurt Marinette.”_ _ _ _

____“She hates Marinette,” Mylene whispered, yet somehow everyone in the classroom heard it. Except for Ms. Bustier, who was quietly crying where she was trapped at the front of the classroom._ _ _ _

____"We should apologize to Marinette," Nino said hollowly. He had ignored his childhood friend's warnings for so long now. Had openly distrusted her in favor of a liar's tall tales. There was no excuse for that, not really._ _ _ _

____There was a tense silence before Alya suddenly stated thrashing in a blinding rage._ _ _ _

____“IT’S NOT FAIR,” She screamed, threads around her throat tightening and digging into her as she raged. “HOW WERE WE SUPPOSED TO-“_ _ _ _

____She stopped, drawing in shallow strained breaths as Nino tried to reach for her hands. “Babe, please you’re hurting yourself. Calm down-“_ _ _ _

____“Lila can’t be a liar.”_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____And with those gasped out words, Alya passed out over her desk._ _ _ _


	3. Mayoral Shit-Show

“Mayor Bourgeois, how do you respond to the accusation that you’ve been-“

“I don’t,” Bourgeois interrupted the newscaster, lips curling slightly at the mentioned offense. He had blackmailed the latest opponent in running for Mayor, and she had come forward with it apparently. Of course, her carrier in politics was completely decimated, but she might just have taken him with her. 

People could be obnoxious like that. 

“Miss Moreau was grasping at straws to slow her fall after the truth about her past was revealed. I am highly offended that she would dare to attempt to soil my good name when I have done nothing but serve our country. But I understand why she did it,” Bourgeois paused a moment to spare a calm glance at a flashing camera. “But nevertheless, I shall be suing Miss Moreau for defamation of character."

A new wave of questions come from the crowd but quickly turned panicked when sudden screams came from the back of the crowd. Reporters and cameramen alike rushed to the sides, leaving a clear path towards the mayor. People knew to stay out of akuma's ways, for the most part, let them cause damage and Ladybug would turn everything right again. 

The latest akuma stood proud before the crowd. Her outfit was definitely more regal and sophisticated than past akumas', but her bright babydoll eyes and mouth sewn shut were what caught most people’s attention. She walked forward calmly as if she didn’t realize what a scene she was creating, or the cameras clicking around her in a frenzy. 

Nadja Chamock let out a gasp, just lout enough that a nearby microphone could hear her. “Marinette?”

“Miss Marinette! Can you tell us why you’ve been akumatized?

“Marinette, anything you’d like to say to the world?”

“Marinete-“

Bourgeois shivered under the akuma's gaze, seeing the name stitched onto her belt first. “What is the meaning of this, Miss Vide Stitch?”

Vide Stitch didn’t reply, holding out her grey gloves delicately as a floating needle and thread shot forward and embedded itself in the Mayor’s sash. Suddenly he was being sewn into a more classical french suit; with a large navy overcoat tastefully folding back on itself down his back. Gold thread accents and a brilliant red tie. 

His tasteful clothes did not stop his choked cries as the color of his suit was sewn into his skin. The side of the collar reading ‘truth.’ Vide Stitch didn’t spare him another glance, just willing the leftover thread back to her and sparing a passing’s glance at the reporters. 

“Mayor Bourgeois, can you tell us what has just happened to you?” Was cried out as Vide Stitch turned to walk calmly out of the hall. 

But to everyone’s surprise, the Mayor opened his mouth readily. “Vide Stitch is only permitting me to now say the truth.”

“What about Miss Moreau?”

“She was telling the truth, I threatened to blackmail her if she did not withdraw from the mayoral race,” He answered, looking horrified as he tried to tug off the buttons of his jacket. The buttons wouldn’t budge, being too big for the slots provided. 

All around him, questions were called out, him answering each one honestly. The perfect reputation of the major being tarnished by enough filthy money, blackmail, and bribes to fill the entire Seine. 

Questions about his daughter, why his wife truly left him. Why wasn’t there a task force dedicated to stopping Hawkmoth?

“Hawkmoth bribed me,” He replied, causing more outrage than any of his previous admissions. “If I don’t assign a task force, he gives me security, and a large chunk of money.”

“TRAITOR.”

“TERRORIST.”

“FILTHY SON OF A-“

Vide Stitch hummed to herself absently as she made her way to the park across from the school. By now, Hawkmoth was warry of the girl, realizing that his deal with the mayor was ruined. He had lost a major advantage, he could only hope that Vide Stitch was powerful enough. 

Marinette had been so difficult to akumatize, had actively avoided akumatization, a feat accomplished by no other. And her akuma was so _different. ___

___“I hope you know what you’re doing, Vide Stitch,” _He threatened her, despite her not being able to answer.__ _ _

____ _ _

____She didn’t reply, eyes set on her destination._ _ _ _


	4. Through My Eyes

"Let's take a five-minute break!"

Adrien sighed, backing away from Lila's grip as soon as the call was heard. He wiped off his jacket, glancing at the time. Mid-day photoshoots were horrible, especially since Lila had weaseled her way into another one. It was like someone was getting him back for something, though he couldn't figure out what he could have possibly done to deserve... this. Lila was not a fate he would inflict on anyone if he had the choice.

Except maybe Hawkmoth.

"Adrien."

"Yes, Nathalie?"

"We're only shooting waist up for the remainder of the shoot, so you should probably change into running shoes," She advised him. "There was an akuma spotted a while away from here."

Adrien immediately tensed, inwardly cursing the situation. "Where?"

"Your school, and the Mayor's press conference."

"I see," He mumbled, before turning a hopeful eye to Nathalie. "Does that mean the shoot is canceled?"

"No."

"But," Adrien sputtered incredulously. "There's an akuma!"

"I know that Adrien," She replied evenly. Nathalie could be sarcastic like that when she wanted to be. 

"Then why-"

“There’s no need for us to leave, Adrien,” Nathalie interjected calmly. “If we canceled every time there was an attack we would never finish.”

Adrien nodded reluctantly, glancing towards the school. It made sense, from a civilian standpoint. But he had to find an excuse to run now, but from the way Lila was smiling at him, he felt she wouldn’t let him out of her sight. He was her meal ticket. 

“Alright, let’s get you over by the girl,” Vincent called out. It spoke volumes how he disapproved of Lila by the fact he hadn’t complimented her. He was usually bursting forth with flowery compliments for any of his models. “Now, say-“

“AKUMA!”

“RUN!”

Adrien whipped his head towards the scene, but couldn't leave as Lila immediately latched onto his arm. Her nails dug into his skin, and he could only wait. 

The akuma actually looked more human than previous ones. She stood regally, but also surprisingly unaffected by the screaming around her. But despite her nice dress and diamond freckles- Adrien couldn't look away from her eyes. The clearest blue had seen in his life, but he had seen it before in his life. 

"Marinette!?" Lila screeched, making him wince. 

The akuma shook her head, tapping her fingers along her belt. 

_Vide Stitch ___

__

__Adrien saw the people around them running, but Vide Stitch didn't go after them. Her gaze was fixed cooly on him and Lila, and strangely enough, she didn't seem angry or aggressive. To say it was unnerving to have an expressionless Marinette was an understatement. She was bubbly, silly, sweet Marinette._ _

__But she wasn't smiling today, and Adrien watched as one of the stitches around her lips started slinking under her sleeve._ _

__Vide Stitch did not reply to Lila, simply holding out her arms to let a string rush at her. This time, Vide Stitch’s designs did not flatter her victim. The dress stitches onto Lila was the ugliest thing Adrien had ever seen._ _

__It was neon orange, large poofy sleeves with giant acid green bows periodically down her arms. The dress was loose at her hips but stitched closed around her ankles, so she fell over as soon as she tried to run._ _

__Then Adrien could only watch in horror as Lila screamed, a grey choker stitched into the skin around her neck._ _

__Vide Stitch didn’t react to the whole debacle, turning to Adrien before he could try to escape. She stretched out her arm, and a string attached to him as well._ _

__“Wait! Marinette, why are you doing this? Isn’t bullying me-“_ _

__Suddenly Lila caused, choking for a moment before staring down at her hands with absolute horror. She tugged at her choker, but Adrien didn’t pay her any attention._ _

__He looked like a prince._ _

__With a stiff white suit, glimmering with golden tassels, buttons, and tie. But that wasn’t where it ended, the string rose to face-level. It shot forward, worming it’s way past his lips into his throat._ _

__And then Adrien could _feel. _____

____ _ _

____He felt Marinette, her joy and hope. He felt somehow, so much love, and respect, and genuine care that he wanted to cry. He felt her feelings as she learned her gift- the scarf had been stolen from her. He felt her love, and it was for him. Adrien was shocked to find love and admiration for him, a love that made him feel safe and warm and secure. A love he had never expected and felt too good to be true._ _ _ _

____He had never felt anything like it, and he likely never would again._ _ _ _

____Because after a moment, it sharpened. Turning to disbelief, a grim acceptance masked by weak optimism. Adrien knew that moment, he felt what she felt when he told her to take the high road. Told her that Lila’s lies weren’t hurting anyone. When he chose Lila's feelings over hers._ _ _ _

____He felt all the love, respect, and admiration sour. Felt her be bullied, see her friends turn on her, and dismiss her like some broken toy._ _ _ _

____He felt her grow to despise him, and he started to cry. Silent, heavy tears that stung his face and pulled at his heart._ _ _ _

____He felt low and vile and completely horrible. Because he hurt Marinette, and in doing so he threw out the one person who loved him so much to the wolves. All because he refused to side with her when she needed him._ _ _ _

____Then he felt something slither back up his throat, pale blue with small bloodstains on the ends, sewing itself into a loose string bow around his wrist. Its work was done._ _ _ _

____His senses began to return to him, the feel of dirt against him, and the pain in his wrist. He tasted blood in his mouth and an aching in his throat from his sobbing. He opened his eyes, wincing against the bright light._ _ _ _

____“Don’t worry, Adrien,” Lila coed beside him, sounding a little breathless. “I’m Ladybug’s best fre-“_ _ _ _

____She wheezed, choking on her air and clawing at her throat. Blood stained the choker around her neck lightly, yet she still squirmed and tugged at his wrist painfully. “She’ll save u-“_ _ _ _

____Adrien didn’t reply, still reeling from what he felt. He looked at his wrist, finding strings stitched into the inside of his wrist, just under the skin. It was tethered against the inside of Lila’s wrist too. He was sewn to her because he hadn’t sided with Marinette._ _ _ _

____He chose Lila, so Marinette let him stay with her._ _ _ _

____“Ladybug will save u-“_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Adrien felt tears stung at his eyes, knowing that Vide Stitch hadn’t done anything he didn’t deserve._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took awhile!! 
> 
> My family went on a vacation and I didn't have Wifi :(


	5. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila and Adrien are unknowingly tested.

Adrien was done being passive.

Done tucking his head down so he wouldn’t upset bullies and liars. His dad could flop over and have a heart attack if he got mad for it. He looked at Lila, clinging to his arm despite them being literally stitched together. “I’m done listening to you.”

He didn’t wait for another second, throwing her wrist off of his arm, and glaring at her as he tensed his hand. He felt the skin at his wrist tug and he steeled himself.

And he _pulled. ___

__The skin tore off his wrist in tatters, leaving jagged skin sewn to Lila’s wrist as she howled. Adrien just clutched his bleeding wrist to his chest and blinked back the reflexive tears. It didn’t matter right now, he was free._ _

__He stood to his feet shakily, leaving Lila there as he sprinted away from the park._ _

__“ADRIEN! DON’T LEAVE ME!”_ _

__Nathalie couldn’t help but groan to herself, forced to stay with the screaming girl. Vide Stitch had stitched the sleeves of a very nice looking pantsuit together behind her back, and of course, the sleeves sewn to her wrists._ _

__She noticed the symbolism in Adrien and Lila’s situation easily. So she knew there was a reason for it- and she knew what it was too. She was not blind to Adrien’s struggles, no matter how she wished she could be at times. She could see the damage his father’s absence and neglect had on him, how he was lonely, and less socially developed than his peers._ _

__But she did nothing._ _

__She had always excused herself, thinking that she had no choice. Gabriel was her boss, and as not a forgiving man by nature. Her hands were tied._ _

__Now more so then ever._ _

__“He left me!” Lila blubbered, fat tears running down the side of her face. Nathalie knew better, knew they were fake. Boy, could the girl cry. “He left me, Nathalie. He left his girlfriend!”_ _

__Nathalie watched as Lila choked on her breath yet again, all pity having dried up after it became clear that Lila wouldn’t stop. Which had become crystal clear about five seconds after Vide Stitch had attacked her._ _

__But she wasn’t the only one watching. Vide Stitch had stayed to see if Adrien would wallow in Pity or actually leave. And also to see if Lila would take the mercy she had given her._ _

__She had made it so the consequences for Lila’s lies would hurt her, but still, she lied. She lied with every breath she took, spitting dicier with every exhale until she was shaking on it. Like Vide Stitch had been when she was Marinette._ _

__No longer._ _

__Vide Stitch jumped down from her perch, landing on the ground effortlessly and standing to face Lila again. She looked terrified, perhaps realizing that she wasn’t done with her. Nathalie looked scared as well, but also mildly curious. Like rubbernecking on the freeway, she couldn’t look away as Vide Stitch stretched out her hand._ _

__The fabric around Lila’s neck unstitched itself, prompting pained gurgling from her. The string spring back to Vide Stitch’s waiting hand and threaded itself into a needle hanging by another string around her neck._ _

__She kneeled next to Lila as she screaming, reaching out to grasp her face. But Lila was wild kicking and screeching painfully. It didn’t last for long, but she managed to lose one of her little side ponytails to Vide Stitch’s needle as she thrashed about. “My hair!”_ _

__Vide Stitch grabbed her chin firmly with superhuman strength._ _

__“D-don’t hurt me, you bitch.”_ _

__Vide Stitch didn’t reply, she was concentrated as she pressed the needle thoughtfully to the corner of Lila’s lip. She wanted to ensure that the stitches were neat, so that they wouldn't tear. She was nothing if not precise in her work._ _

__If Lila refused to stop lying no matter the consequences, then Vide Stitch wouldn’t let her talk at all._ _

__

__She made her first stitch._ _


	6. Motive

"Chat Noir!"

Said hero fought to keep his composure in front of his classroom. He had run here to check on the class, and see if anyone knew why Marinette had been akumatized. He almost wished he hadn't come at all, the sigh was horrible. 

All the students were in beautiful ornate clothes, with the same cloth around their necks that Lila had. They were all sitting in their seats, despite the obvious visit from the Akuma. Alya, Nino, Chloe, Max, and Sabrina's cloth are bloodstained, though Chloe and Alya's were more than the others. 

"What happened?"

Nino reached behind him to grab Alya’s hand, fixing her with a stern glare. He didn’t turn away from her but glanced quickly at Chat Noir. “The akuma is our- is Marinette. She-“

Alix picked up for Nino, seeming much more aggressive. “We don't know exactly what akumatized her, but we haven't seen her today. Alya had plans to see her yesterday and didn't go so that what we think it might be. Marinette's strong, so this wasn't a quick moment of anger thing. She led us to answers we should have figured out for ourselves. She’s probably going after Lila, and anyone else who shits on good people and doesn’t get caught.”

Chat Noir nodded, swiping his claws at the seams that tied the students' outfits to their seats. They broke easily, but the loose ends stitched themselves back into the cloth as well so maybe that wasn't the point of them. “Don’t worry! I’m sure Ladybug will be here soon, and I can take this little miss on easily anyways.”

“I doubt _that.” ___

__Heads turned to look at Nathaniel, who looked shy at the attention but didn’t take his words back. “Marinette’s super strong, she never shows when stuff gets to her normally. Not if she can help it. If it got to the point where even she broke down- then she’s got enough repressed emotions to level the city if she wanted.”_ _

__“ _If _she wanted that,” Chloe scoffed.___ _

____“What do you mean?” Chat Noir questioned as he loosed the other classmates. He would be the first to admit he agreed with Nathaniel._ _ _ _

____“Dupain-Cheng has the biggest guilt complex I’ve ever seen. She would blame herself for the sun exploding if she could,” Chloe pointed out haughtily. She hesitated a moment as he snipped the strings before standing. “There’s something else going on here.”_ _ _ _

____Chloe didn't start choking, which was good. But he didn't know if opinions or speculations activated the cloth. If could be possible she was right, or it could be possible that she perceived she was right. He had no way of knowing._ _ _ _

____“Either way, it’s not safe for you to be here,” Chat Noir decided. He glanced at Ms.Bustier for a moment but didn’t really know what to do. The stitches on her ears and eyes were too small to remove with his claws. And if he cut the strings holding her to the chair it was more likely she would hurt herself rather then actually be safer. “Someone needs to stay with your teacher, but you should all go home. Someone get another teacher to watch her.”_ _ _ _

____Max gave hid a firm nod, grabbing Kim’s arm on the way out. Nino smiled at him weakly, holding Alya's arm tightly. The rest of the students turned to Alix, who led them outside decisively. She knew where they needed to be, even if most of them would rather go home._ _ _ _

____As the students left, Chat Noir steadied himself against a desk, his breath stuttering. If Ladybug wasn't here yet then something was seriously wrong. Vide Stitch was terrifying, and he had to admit that it was hard to imagine Marinette ever hurting people._ _ _ _

____He straightened up, casting an apologetic glance at Ms. Busrier before opening one of the windows._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____He still had a job to do._ _ _ _


	7. Luck

Chat Noir hesitated at the park. He’d been passing by as he searched for Vide Stitch when he noticed something was wrong. Lila and Nathalie should have run when he had. After all, Lila could leave if Nathalie helped her. But both women were in the park, and Lila was flat on her back in the dirt. 

She was too snobby for that to be unsuspicious. 

He turned to the park, landing close to them. “Are you alright?’

Nathalie looked at him in surprise, before turning to Lila. He noticed her hands were tight against her back, likely sewn there. He wouldn't have been suprised if they hadn't been as Nathalie had never made a move to help him in the past. But she likely wouldn't have her arms at that awkward angle and be sitting in the dirt if she wasn't stuck somehow. “Not particularly.”

Chat Noir turned to her before stilling. It was worse than when he’d left.

Lila was staring at the sky, making no more to get up or talk. It was as if all the fight had been drained from her, and she had no reason to try anymore. He didn't quite believe it at first until he saw the thin layer of blood coating her lips. There were thin stitches across her mouth, neat and orderly. He fought the urge to throw up again, staring at her in horror. 

He hadn’t been gone for too long, what would have happened if he’d stayed?

“What happened?”

Nathalie turned to him, looking helpless. “The akuma came back when Ms. Rossi refused to stop lying. She hand sewed her mouth and took off that way.”

Nathalie pointed her head aways back, she hesitated a moment longer. “If I had to guess where she was headed, I would guess Ms. Rossi’s mother or Mr. Agreste. Ms. Dupain-Cheng attacked a Gabriel photoshoot, and specifically targeted Ms. Rossi and Adrien Agreste.”

Chat Noir nodded, gesturing towards her arms. “I don’t think I could remove her stitches without slicing her face open, but I could free your hands.”

Nathalie nodded, fixing her gaze back on Lila. There was something in her expression he couldn’t quite place, but it wasn’t anything vengeful so he moved behind her and carefully sliced through the seams on her wrists. To his surprise, she immediately reached forward the swipe the blood from Lila’s face, moving her head into a more comfortable position. “I’ll watch Ms. Rossi, good luck Chat Noir.”

“Thanks, I’m thinking more and more that I’ll need it.”


	8. Say Cheese

Chat Noir landed on the front steps of the Rossi house.

He'd stopped by the school, but Mr. Damocles wasn't there so he could only hope Vide Stitch hadn't gone after him. This was the other stop he thought she could have gone to, but he hated to think of it. Because Mrs. Rossi hadn't done anything to Marinette, so unless Vide Stitch was punishing her for her daughter's actions she had no reason to be there. He steeled his nerves, already knowing she must be inside. 

He opened the door and crept inside. 

The house was eerily silent, a faint pale glow coming from the kitchen around the corner. The walls were strangely bare, aside from a framed college degree and some tasteful hall lights. It was like a scene from a ghost movie, and he couldn't help but think it felt like his own house. He let out a small shiver and turned the corner slowly.

Vide Stitch was crouched on one knee before Mrs. Rossi, who was stitched into a chair. But the sleeves on her new dress were loose, so he could see that her skin wasn't sewn to the clothes as the other victims had been. Her head was tilted back unnaturally with her eyes wide open, and glowing an unnatural shade of blue.

Chat Noir recognized the setup, the threads floating throughout the room until it was shoved down the victim's throat. Vide Stitch was showing Mrs. Rossi something like she had shown him his own errors. He hadn't been noticed yet, so he walked farther into the room. 

Vide Stitch was showing Mrs. Rossi everything about Lila from school. Her tall tales and threats. Chat Noir wouldn't know that yet, but Mrs. Rossi would never be able to forget it. 

Chat Noir growled, lunging forward to save her. In hindsight, the move was rash and reckless, but he was upset. After all, Mrs. Rossi had been honestly tricked. His punishment was understandable since he had known what he did was wrong. The classmates were understandable too, as they had failed to have the basic decency to look into the injustice before their eyes. But this one would only haunt a woman who had no idea what her daughter was doing. It wasn't fair.

But Vide Stitch didn't fight fair either, she didn't even bother to look back at him.

The streams around her jabbed towards him, hitting and pushing him back. None of them had needles attached but they were powered enough to hurt. He struggled to weave himself around them, but couldn’t escape them. He couldn't quite slash the strings fast enough to actually land damage. Panicked he looked back at Mrs. Rossi as tears started flowing down her blank face.

"Cataclysm!"

He rushed forward, claws barely managing to scrape the thread as it attempted to duck out of the way. A single touch was all it took. The threads turned black, crumbling along until they reached her. And she let out a horrible wail, as sharp as nails on a chalkboard. Mrs. Rossi blinked in surprise but made no move to struggle as the threads fell out of her still open mouth. She sat there crying silently as Vide Stitch turned around. 

Another thread disappeared from her mouth, snaking down her sleeve ready to strike. 

Chat Noir wasn't nervous about the fight ahead. Vide Stitch was unnerving and extremely powerful, and Ladybug was still nowhere to be seen. But he had a job to do nonetheless, and he couldn't afford to lose. "Don't pop a seam, princess! I'm just here for your akuma."

Okay maybe he was a _little _more nervous then he let on.__

____

____

Vide Stitch looked up at him, eyes sharp. And then she smiled, stretching a hand out probably to attack him. But then something unexpected happened, when she smiled the stitches around her mouth split her lip open. But since she couldn’t feel it, she didn’t stop and the stitch was undone. There had only been two left, and as one tore, the other tore off as well. 

____

Her lips were in tatters, strings hanging from them with torn skin hanging from them, blood dripping down her neck onto her dress as all her strings and seams went deathly still.

____

Her hand began to tremble as the seams hanging bloodily from her lips faded into a normal black string. Then for the first time, he saw genuine terror in her eyes. 

____

____

And then she screamed.

____


	9. Watching for Ladybugs

The class wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted them when they found Lila. 

She laid on the ground next to Nathalie, thin streams of blood running down her chin and staining the obnoxious orange dress. She started crying when she saw them, uselessly blubbering from behind her closed lips. Nathalie didn't look too concerned, only looking up at them for a moment. "She wouldn't stop lying, so Vide Stitch sewed her mouth shut."

The class remained silent for another moment, unsure of what to do in this situation. It was hard to be mad at her when she looked so pitiful, hard to want revenge. But at the same time, most of them were aware of just how much Lila cried when defending her lies. Which made it hard to take the current tears seriously.

It was Ivan who moved first, stepping forward from the crowd of students and looking down at Lila with a mess of emotions on his face. And though all eyes were on him, he didn’t seem to notice. Or at least he didn’t seem to care. 

“We don’t believe you anymore.”

The change was was instant, the ugly grey fabric around his neck slipping loose and darting towards Lila. They went to her wrist and sunk under the skin there as she screeched. It was defiantly the magic, but it left a decently noticeable grey line that slunk around her entire wrist there. For a moment, everyone just stared in shocked silence, until Ivan burst into tears.

The silence didn’t last for long after that- the students passionately renouncing Lila and all her lies. And just like Ivan’s had, their collars lashed out and wound themselves under the skin around Lila’s wrist as she thrashed about. They seemed to be moving under her skin, leaving eleven stark lines under her skin.

Finally, Alya was the only one who hadn’t spoken up. But finally, she stepped forward too, ears glassy as she stared down at her. 

“I’m sorry Marinette,” She whispered. “I messed up, but I’m done falling for your lies.”

The collar slipped off, leaving Alya’s faintly bloodstained neck free. The twelfth line appeared under Lila's skin, leaving her glaring at them venomously. So much for the pitiful crying. Nino was there immediately to comfort her, rubbing dried blood from her throat soothingly.

Juleka frowned at Lila, eyes lingering on her stitched mouth. It was cruel punishment, but she was deserving of it in a morbid way. “She gave us all another chance, even though she’s an akuma.”

Rose seemed to catch Juleka’s meaning, a frown replacing her relieved smile. “Why didn’t she give Lila one?”

“She did,” Nathalie answered, startling the girl. “She gave Lila the same punishment as you until Lila kept lying and Vide Stitch came back and stitched her mouth shut.”

“Oh.”

The class sobered up, uneasily.

“Let’s wait here,” Chloe finally suggested. The class was surprised at her input, but it wasn’t entirely unwelcome. “So we can see the ladybugs fix Lie-la.”

“This would be the most probable spot to see the miraculous cure,” Max contributed.

“Then it’s settled,” Alix decided as she crouched down next to Lila. “Kim take off your hoodie for Lila’s neck. She’s in enough pain for right now.”

Nino sat down next to Alya as the ground processed and talked quietly. Alya had evidently taken it hardest, though they were all shaken up. “Wanna talk about it?”

“What’s there to talk about?” Alya replied blankly. “I ignored and abandoned _Marinette _of all people, until the point that she was akumatized into a villain straight out of a horror story. It took a lie detector on steroids choking me till I passed out for me to accept the truth.”__

__“At least you did.”_ _

__Alya’s brow creased, glancing back at Nino. “What?”_ _

__Nino shifted, finding with the headphones around his neck as he carefully spoke. “At least you know now. It woulda been best to know yesterday, and to never make the mistakes we did- but we know now. So we can fix whatever we can, and try to be better. Even if it's too late to completely fix things with Marinette.”_ _

__Alya considered his words before consciously untensing her muscles. “You’re right, when’d you get so wise?”_ _

__Nino just chuckled bitterly, unable to let go of his own guilt either._ _

__

__“Too late.”_ _


	10. Where's Ladybug?

Marinette could feel her strings stretched out in the air behind her, tense and poised to rip apart anyone who crossed her.

She could feel hot blood sluggishly drying against her lips and chin, and the bits of string still hanging from her skin. She could feel the soft material of her dress, and the heightened sensations she didn't usually feel unless she was Ladybug. Only this was _more _somehow. Like any slight movement could set her off and release her power upon any who dared to threaten her.__

__She felt the power in her._ _

__She looked up, finding Chat Noir staring at her in frightened anticipation. Like she'd grown another head. Then she heard something behind her._ _

__"Lila."_ _

__Mrs. Rossi was staring at her through teary eyes. "I had no idea," She breathed out._ _

__"What- what do you mean?"_ _

__"I didn't know about her lies," She insisted. "Or how she hurt you I'm- I'm so sorry."_ _

__"It's- it's fine, just- What am I doing here?"_ _

__Chat Noir stepped forward now, hands held before him defensively. "Don't you remember?"_ _

__"I-"_ _

__And then Marinette remembered the pain she'd felt. She remembered walking into the classroom and the student's terror. She remembered Lila's bloody screaming and the Mayor's furious sputtering. She remembered Bustier's indignation and Nathalie's acceptance. She remembered, and she felt sick to her stomach._ _

__"I- I did that?"_ _

__"Vide Stitch-"_ _

__Marinette flinched, staring at her gloved hands in horror. She had been wondering before she had been akumatized if there was any way for justice to happen. Adults had never helped her, and she knew they wouldn't now. So she had wondered who would hold Lila responsible, had wished she could get Justice from everyone who made her feel so small and unheard. But she'd asked to be emotionless in order to achieve that since she knew she'd never be able to otherwise. She'd been all too right about that. "I'm sorry! I would never, I would never-"_ _

__Marinette sunk to her knees, feeling her strings wrap around her protectively, and _Kwami _did that feel strange. Like she was giving herself two hugs at once. Like someone else was there for her. "Your cataclysm made him stop talking, I think it sent the string you destroyed through the bond somehow to hurt him. He's not talking to me, and I can feel again."___ _

____"Marinette, look up at me."_ _ _ _

____Chat Noir was less defensive now, looking more concerned for her. Like he was trying to comfort a wounded animal who might attack him at any given moment. "It's not your fault, Hawkmoth took advantage of you. But I need you to give me your item."_ _ _ _

____"My item?"_ _ _ _

____"Your akumatized object," Chat Noir clarified. "So everything can go back to normal."_ _ _ _

____"But," Marinette frowned, running her hands along the soft fabric of her skirt. "Ladybug isn't here?"_ _ _ _

____"I don't know where she is," Chat Noir admitted. "Something in her civilian life must've come up. But if she's not here yet, then I don't think she's coming at all. I'll break the object."_ _ _ _

____"You can't."_ _ _ _

____"Um, yeah, I-"_ _ _ _

____"No, Chat Noir," Marinette interrupted him as she stood. She turned to help up Mrs. Rossi, noting the dazed look in her eye guiltily. "I don't think you want twenty of me."_ _ _ _

____"What would be- bad," Chat Noir admitted. "But I don't know what else I can do."_ _ _ _

____Marinette considered the situation, dimly aware that cleansing her akuma would mean revealing herself as Ladybug. Thankfully, Chat Noir didn't seem to realize that her being Ladybug would answer everything neatly, and she could always claim she was out of town. But she didn't want to take any unnecessary risks if she didn't have to. She still had no new leads to who Hawkmoth could be, and her old leads had either been dead ends, or rejected by Chat Noir. She didn't know if Hawkmoth was really gone either, he could be just watching her actions instead of talking. She had no idea._ _ _ _

____"I have an idea, but you're not gonna like it."_ _ _ _

____Chat Noir groaned, sparing her a light glare. "Great."_ _ _ _

____"You go recharge, and I'll go use these powers to try and undo what I've done. Then we can meet up, and after we break the item, you can cataclysm the butterfly."_ _ _ _

____Chat Noir considered it, mask scrunching in concentration. Idly she wondered if she could get a picture of her costume to recreate it for Halloween. The material would be difficult to find all things considered, but she might be able to find something similar without magic. "I guess we've got no choice then. Is Mrs. Rossi okay?"_ _ _ _

____"Just shocked I think, there's nothing wrong with her otherwise."_ _ _ _

____"You're right," Mrs. Rossi spoke up. "And I can speak for myself."_ _ _ _

____Marinette let out a nervous giggle, her threads flicking in surprise. If she concentrated she could probably move them like her own limbs, but the entire idea was just too weird and alien for her to try it right now._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____"My bad, Ma'am."_ _ _ _


	11. Chapter 11

The class was shocked to find Vide Stitch before them again.

Some of them cowered, fearing more needles and pain. But others stood protectively around them, determined not to fail in protecting their friends. Alya stood aways back, unsure if she was even allowed to speak to her. To Marinette. 

She had thrown away her best friend because she wanted to sit next to Nino and have a shortcut to fame. Because she refused to acknowledge Marinette's protests and had instead sided with her tormentor. She had betrayed her. 

And Alya had only accepted that because she had the truth shoved down her throat. She hadn't done her research, and now she would likely have to live with the consequences. 

"What do you want?"

"I'm sorry."

Vide Stitch speaking at all was shocking, to say the least, but the class didn't waver. Alya looked closer at her, wanting to see her old friend instead of having the wool pulled over her eyes again.

She was crying, full-fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Alya couldn't help but notice the way they split over her diamonds. She was still very much so an akuma, her sentient strings hovering over her protectively. But she didn't seem malicious or hostile in the slightest, more like a kicked puppy Then she opened her mouth again, her bloodied lips tearing as she spoke. "It's me, I'm not- I'm not _her _anymore."__

__Nino stepped forward first, holding his hand out kindly. "It's okay. We're all so sorry dudette, but we're here for you."_ _

__"Yeah, we can grovel for forgiveness later," Alix pipped up._ _

__"What do you need?"_ _

__"To fix this," She declared. "Ladybug's not here, but Chat Noir broke the connection. Just let me take the strings out. I already got everyone else."_ _

__Vide Stitch decided not to mention that the damage had already been done. Ms. Bustier had been shaking when she'd got there, and though she'd removed the strings the marks would probably scar. Mayor Bourgeois's reputation was tarnished, and the Parisian government was going to have a field day covering up any secrets he'd spilling along with his misdeeds. Mrs. Rossi was crestfallen that she had overlooked her daughter's bullying and lying actions. Even if she could use miraculous Ladybug, much of that could never be fixed by it._ _

__Nino nodded, turning back to the class. "Clear a path."_ _

__"How do we know it's really her?" Kim interrupted._ _

__Nino didn't rise to the challenge, only wincing in admission. Because how could they possibly know for sure?_ _

__Alya found herself speaking before she could realize it. "If we want a chance to fix our mistakes we should trust her first. We messed up, and if she was here to hurt us she would have already."_ _

__Much of the class looked down, maybe finding something relatable in her words. Regardless, Kim accepted her statement. Vide Stitch smiled at them as they stepped to the side, letting her approach Lila. Lila didn't look happy at all about this turn of events, glaring at her like she- Like she was a villain._ _

__Nevertheless, Vide Stitch raised her hand above Lila's mouth, willing the strings to carefully unwind themselves. The strings were pulled out easily, trailing a thin line of blood as they stitched themselves into a loose bow around her wrist. Lila didn't waste another moment, bringing her hands up to her throat before turning her ire back to Vide Stitch._ _

__She spat at her, pink saliva splattered across the front of her dress. "You bitch," She hissed with a scratchy throat as she scrambled back from her, pointing an accusing finger as more tears cascaded down her face. "She-she bullies me, and then she threatened me, and now _this?" _____

____Vide Stitch remained silent, biting her lip to keep herself quiet as Lila screeched at her. This was oh-so-familiar. This was what happened before the class would turn on her; demanding answers and apologies._ _ _ _

____But that didn't happen this time._ _ _ _

____The class stood behind her, watching Lila with disgust. Now that they knew she was a liar it was so hard to see why they'd trusted her in the first place._ _ _ _

____"Give it up, Rossi," Chloe sneered. "No one's buying your pathetic _bullshit _anymore!"___ _ _ _

______Lila was gobsmacked, staring at the class as not one student rushed to her aid. She didn't give up, crying, and insisting that Marinette had been bullying her. That she hated her for her disability and for her fame. But no one listened._ _ _ _ _ _

______Finally, Lila groaned, holding out her wrists expectantly. "Fix your mess!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Vide Stitch looked down, finding to her shock twelve black lines under her skin. She hesitantly stretched a hand over her arm, trying to feel how to remove it. But what she found was disappointing, to say the least. "I can't."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Wincing at her volume, Vide Stitch turned her head a bit. "The strings are tangled in your arteries, and around each other. If I tried to remove it I might cut one of them and then you'd have a much bigger problem on your hands."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lila started crying for real now, shocked at her predicament. "No! You have to fix this! I can't keep these!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I can't fix it, I'm sorry. You're stuck with them."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Lila let out a growl, scrambling to her feet in a blinding rage. She fixed the entire group with one last glare before stomping off. She couldn't lie her way out of this one, couldn't lie those marks off her wrist or the class back into submission. She'd been bested by the girl she had overlooked as trivial and weak. And now she would be stuck with the consequences for life._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I'm gonna go meet Chat Noir," Vide Stitch told the class gently. She stood shakily, still disturbed by the entire situation. "Thank you."_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______"From now on," Nino promised her apologetically._ _ _ _ _ _


	12. Chapter 12

Vide Stitch was alone on a rooftop when Chat Noir found her.

She was using her powers to sew little patterns into the sky. She seemed pretty entertained by it, but he could see tear tracks along her face. He couldn't blame her, especially since he could never truly be in her shoes. Marinette was a kind soul at heart, to have hurt her friends so badly was crushing. And the fact that akuma victims always seemed to develop a guilt complex didn't help matters in the slightest. 

Chat Noir landed on the rooftop behind her, waiting for her to respond. 

"Why didn't Ladybug come?"

Chat Noir shifted, wondering the same question himself. "I don't know. But I know she would have been here if she could've."

Vide Stitch didn't seem comforted in the slightest, frowning at the now setting sun. "Because she's not here, people are gonna be scared from this."

"They might've been anyways," Chat Noir pointed out. Everyone knew that the number of therapists in Paris had certainly gone up since this mess started. It was a blessing in disguise in some ways, since therapy was more widely accepted. "It's not her fault, and it's not yours."

Vide Stitch didn't seem to agree with him, for which statement he couldn't be sure. But she just sighed and sat up before him. "I want to be me again."

"Where's your akuma?"

Vide Stitch pulled a near-invisible necklace from around her neck. It was a simple silver needle on a silvery thread. It was barely visible as they light reflected off it, but now that he could see it it was obvious. She handed him the needle without resistance, not even looking a little sad to see it go. 

It was sort of difficult to break a needle, but he managed. He snapped it in half and cataclysmed the akuma hastily. 

Her costume disappeared, leaving Marinette before him in a hoodie and sweatpants. She looked lost, taking the needle back from him and stabbing it into the pincushion around her wrist. No magical ladybugs swept through the city, there was no instant cure for what had happened. The miraculous Ladybug put things back to normal, but it also provided a sense of closure for those involved in the attacks. 

The citizens got no such closure now.

"I never meant for this to happen."

"Not many akuma victims do," Chat Noir smiled at her weakly. "It's not your fault."

Marinette took in a deep breath, her hands tracing the skin on her hip like she was missing something. It seemed she'd grown used to the extra 'appendages' after all. 

"No cure out of this one, I guess."


	13. Normal?

Hawkmoth was in shock. 

His latest akuma, the one he had been convinced would be his greatest success had defied him. He controlled his akumas by manipulating his victims' emotions, twisting them so they would do whatever it took. But he hadn't thought that when he made Vide Stitch emotionless it would mean she would just not help him. 

The backlash from Chat Noir cataclysm on the strings combined with the sudden rush of emotions had backfired, and the magic had burned him. Maybe this was part of what Nooroo meant when he said the miraculous weren't meant to be used for evil, but Gabriel Agreste found a branding on a needle and thread on his chest where he wore the miraculous. A permanent reminder of how helpless he'd been to stop it.

The miraculous had made him feel like a god among mortals, but this had proven him wrong.

"Nooroo, will this be cleansed with the cure?"

Nooroo frowned unsurely, staring at where Gabriel had pulled his shirt down to look at the burned skin. "I don't know, master. This sort of thing has never happened before."

Gabriel sighed, it didn't really matter the scar. No one would know Hawkmoth had it anyway, and that wasn't what concerned him most anyways. "Alright then, come Nooroo."

Noorooobliges as Gabriel slipped out of the lair and called Nathalie on his desk phone. She didn't pick up, and before Gabriel could read too much into it she called him back. 

"Yes, sir?"

"Nathalie, clear my schedule for the next week. I want plane bookings and the key to the summer home we have in the Caribbean."

"Yes, sir. But I also have a request," Nathalie replied, and Gabriel noticed she seemed more aggravated than usual. 

"Yes, Nathalie?"

"I'm taking that week off. This akuma was too far, Gabriel."

Then the line went dead and Gabriel had to take a moment to compose his shock. He had a feeling Vide Stitch would leave a more important impact than just haunting his nightmares. Nevertheless, her akuma costume was a stroke of genius. He would have to ask Marinette to intern with him over the summer. He didn't usually accept high school interns, but he was not going to let that sort of talent get away if he could help it. 

"Father?"

Gabriel turned to find Adrien in the doorway, clutching his wrist in his hand with a sheepish expression. His posture was sloppy, but Gabriel was too tired to address it at that moment. "Yes, Adrien?"

"May I have the first aid kit, please?"

He paused, walking forward, and holding Adrien's wrist carefully. The damage wasn't severe, the top layer of skin was torn off and the area was obviously aggravated. It might or might not scar. "How did this happen?"

"There was an akuma that ladybug didn't show up at," Adrien explained. "Chat Noir had to cataclysm the akuma to stop her. I'm-"

Adrien hesitated, glancing down with a look of regret. "I'm scared, Father. This was the first akuma that truly scared me."

Gabriel felt his heart grow colder with his son's words, resonating with them more then he would ever admit. "What happened, Adrien?"

Gabriel Agreste decided that day that Marinette would never again be akumatized. He didn't care if it was his best bet, she was too dangerous.

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Marinette was nervous as she got ready for school. 

The schools in Paris had long since decided that akumas wouldn't disrupt school more then they needed too. Schools could let out only if akumas were near them, the day after would be on the table. So she had to come to school today, before a weekend of rest of reevaluation. This disaster had left consequences on everyone she knew, including speculation for Ladybug's absence. She had a plan for that, a supposed retreat to the Order of the Miraculous during the attack that had left her unaware of it. Kwami knew if anyone would buy it, but the magic would likely help keep her secret there. 

Now to deal with her classmates.

She flinched when he instinctively bit her lip, the stitches placed there digging into her lip uncomfortably. She was lucky to end up with so few injuries beyond small pinpoint scabs around her lips. She knew others hadn't been so lucky.

She drew in a comforting breath before opening the door to the classroom. Eyes immediately flickered to hers, most looking away just as quickly with poorly concealed fear. She supposed this was something she might have to get used too. They had good reason to be afraid. 

Ms. Bustier stood at the front of the classroom, eyes hidden behind dark shades with her hair down for once. Class hadn't started yet thankfully, but Ms. Bistier waved her over. "Good morning, Marinette. I'm implementing a seating chart today, you'll be in the middle second row with Nino."

Marinette gave a nod, moving past Lila and Chloe in the front row, with Adrien and Sabrina across the aisle from them. Lila glared at her especially hard, both hands in braces with stitches around her mouth as well. No one approached her, she had received various apologies from them already. But no one seemed especially eager to talk to her. 

Transferring to another class was looking better by the moment. 

"Alright class," Ms. Bustier called attention. "There are going to be some changes in this class. Firstly, everyone in here will be attending mandatory school counseling once a week for a month, and longer if they wish. This is both to prevent future akuams, and to gain closure for past ones. Seating charts are non-negotiable, and any medical conditions or leaves from school will require parent permission. And people prone to consistent leaves from school will need to arrange an in-person parent visit. Are we clear?"

When no student spoke up, Ms. Bustier offered them a smile. "Excellent, I'm going to pass out your new syllabus to sign, and get a parental signature, and then we're gonna move on."

Marinette couldn't help but smile as the papers were passed out. At least this outcome was good thus far, and Chloe hadn't whined either. Thought that might be in part due to the massive scrutiny her father was under. Either way, she already knew there were going to be good changes. 

One of those was the little looks she was given. The fear wasn't wanted, but there was something else there she hadn't received from them in what felt like ages. Respect.

She wished it was respect for her character, rather than respect grown from fear. But at least she wouldn't be used for her connections or for free commissions. 

She'd have to see.


	14. Takes Two

By the time school let out, Marinette felt like her skin was crawling with all the looks focused on her. 

She would definitely be transferring, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Kagami had been trying to convince her to transfer for weeks, with Luka quietly supporting her efforts. It was high time she listened to them. Still; it wasn't all horrible. Juleka waved her over as she made her way out of the building, not bothering to wait for her. 

Marinette had to jog to catch up, coming up next to the girl as she continued to walk. "What's up, Juleka?"

"We both know you should talk to Luka," She teased. 

"Maybe," Marinette giggled, pleasantly surprised how casual Juleka was acting. Juleka had never been cruel to her, quite honestly they had rarely interacted beforehand so there wasn't much change. But it was the thought that counted she supposed. "Aren't you scared I'm gonna jump you or something?"

"Marinette you couldn't hurt a fly in your right mind," Juleka snorted, nudging her away from an incoming street pole. "Our class is far from bright, you know that."

"Right, but still."

"It was scary, mainly because you weren't acting like yourself," Juleka admitted. "But honestly Marinette?"

She turned to her, bangs falling forward as Juleka shot her a devilish grin. 

"It was wicked," Juleka said, an odd gleam in her eyes. 

"Glad to be of service," Marinette joked. Hesitating only a moment, Marinette sobered up. "Jules, can I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"What if I," Marinette paused, eyeing the horizon slowly. Her parents wanted her home soon after dark, so she still had another hour. "What if I transferred to another class? I think you're the only one besides maybe Nino who's talking to me right now."

"Then transfer," Juleka replied simply. 

"Isn't that hasty of me?"

"We treated you like shit," She replied evenly. "It's not hasty enough if anything. You don't owe our class anything."

"Huh," Marinette mused, sending Juleka a grateful smile. "Thanks, I'll still see you I know."

Juleka rolled her eyes fondly as they approached the houseboat. "Oh I know, you'll be visiting Luka so often I'll be sick of you I imagine."

Marinette couldn't help but giggle at that as Juleka went below deck. She couldn't remember everything she did as Vide Stitch, only fragments and snippets. She had no clue if she'd targetted Luka or not, but seeing as Juleka hadn't said anything she hadn't thought so. She was still nervous as she walked up to Luka, who was sitting on the deck strumming his guitar. 

It was a soft piece, a bit slow and uncertain, but strong and steady all the same. 

Luka was just intuitive that way.

"Evening, Luka."

"Good evening Marinette," Luka greeted gently, patting the spot beside him in invitation. "How was your day."

"A bit awkward," She admitted carefully, staring out across the water. "Everyone acted like I was gonna bite their heads off."

"Not that they didn't deserve it," Luka smiled. "Are you going to move?"

"Probably, it's just not healthy, ya know?"

"I've thought that for a while, Ma-Ma-Marinette. Gami will be relieved."

"Oh she'll be overjoyed, she might even smile," Marinette joked, taking pride in Luka's small giggle. "You guys were right of course."

"You needed time," Luka shrugged. "I'm glad you're doing something for yourself, my melody."

"Thanks, Luka."

"I hope you won't hold it against me if I mention her right now."

Marinette looked at Luka curiously, finding him looking at her nervously. Luka was rarely one to show his anxiety, usually only conveying it through song if necessary. "What's up, Luka?"

Luka didn't reply exactly, instead he reaching into his pocket to pull out a small box with a pink string bow on top. Definitely, Vide Stitche's handiwork, though Luka didn't seem upset by it. Still, she nervously bit her lip as she waited for him to explain.

He opened the box, revealing two movie tickets, it was for a showing in three days, great seats actually. It took her a minute to realize what that meant, but when she did she couldn't help but gasp softly. Luka only smiled at her, eyes conveying everything she didn't have words for at that moment. 

"A gift from Vide Stitch," He said softly. Marinette felt her face flame slightly as she looked back up at him. This was Luka, and she didn't have to be nervous because she knew he was there for her. But her heartbeat thill thudded in her ears. 

"Can I keep one?"

Luka smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who stuck with this series!!!!!  
> I know it's sorta bittersweet with the class, but I just wanted Marinette to go to a healthier environment regardless of whether the class learned their lesson.   
> She spends so long being 'taught' something or paying for others' mistakes that I just want her to go where's best for **her** for once.
> 
> Have a good one! Tell me what you think!


End file.
